March 19 – Looking, Longing, Preparing

Hope for Today: A Daily Devotion from Reasons for Hope*Jesus

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“Your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name.” Isaiah 54:5

“The ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads.” Isaiah 35:10

When Cyrus took the king of Armenia and his son Tigranes, with their wives and children, prisoners, and upon their humble submission, beyond all hope, gave them their liberty and their lives, on their return home, when they were commending Cyrus, some for his person, some for his power, some for his clemency, Tigranes asked his wife, “What do you think of Cyrus; is he not a lovely man, of a majestic presence?”

“Truly,” said she, “I know not what manner of man he is; I never looked on him.”
“Why,” said he, “where were your eyes all the while; upon whom did you look?”
“I fixed my eyes,” said she, “all the while upon him,” (meaning her husband), “who, in my hearing, offered to Cyrus to lay down his life for my ransom.”

Thus, if any question the devout soul, once indeed captivated by the world — but new enamored with Christ her heavenly Bridegroom, whether she is not charmed with the riches, pleasures, and gaieties of the world, her answer is that her eyes and her heart are now fixed on a nobler object, even on Him who not only made an offer, like Tigranes, to die in her stead — but actually laid down His life to ransom her. As her dear Bridegroom is now in Heaven, her looks are after Him, and she can esteem nothing on earth in comparison with Him. And, as He has promised to come again, she is looking, longing, and preparing for His coming.

Devotion by Karl Heinrich von Bogatzky (1690—1774)